6  Case study

6.1 Case Study: Simplified Application of the Risk Assessment Framework

To demonstrate the practical application of the cumulative risk-based approach, we present a simplified case study using real-life data. This case study highlights the capacity of the framework to evaluate cumulative risks in a specific ecosystem and identify optimal intervention windows, focusing on either temporal or spatial dimensions. While this example does not explore the full spatio-temporal capabilities of the framework, it provides a clear and actionable demonstration of its use with openly available datasets.

6.2 Potential Ecosystems for the Case Study

Below are suggestions for ecosystems with openly available data that may be suitable for this assessment:

Here’s a revised bullet-point list with data sources for each of the data requirements (human activities/stressors, species, life processes, and sensitivity) for the proposed method. Each ecosystem includes suggestions for openly available datasets specific to these categories.


6.2.1 Potential Ecosystems and Data Sources

6.2.1.1 Great Lakes Region

6.2.1.2 Chesapeake Bay

6.2.1.3 Arctic Marine Ecosystem

6.2.1.4 Mississippi River Basin

6.2.1.5 Pacific Northwest Forests

6.2.1.6 Amazon River Basin

6.2.1.7 Coral Reef Ecosystems

6.2.2 Next Steps

Once the ecosystem is selected, these data sources can be explored to integrate relevant datasets for human activities, stressors, species, life processes, and sensitivities. This integration will support the simplified application of the cumulative risk-based framework, providing a practical demonstration of its utility. Let me know if you’d like more details on any ecosystem or data source!